Farm-fresh dining comes to Dewey July 26

Les Stukenberg/The Daily Courier<br>Wren Myers, executive director of Paradigm Permaculture Coalition, and Sharla Mortimer, owner of Mortimer Family Farms, are hosting a fundraiser for the Farm to School program.

On Saturday, July 26, diners will have the chance to get back to nature during the Farm-Fresh Dining Experience at Mortimer Family Farms, located near the intersection of Highway 69 and Highway 169 in Dewey. The outdoor event will benefit the Farm to School program in the quad-city area, which works to bring locally grown food to schoolchildren, and introduces students to the concept of farming.

Dinner will begin at 6 p.m.; tickets are $35 per person.

The meal will feature farm-fresh vegetables and roasted chicken, as well as other offerings - all grown at Mortimer Farms, according to co-organizer Wren Myers with Farm to Schools. Myers works as a subcontractor with the Prescott Unified School District to manage the Farm to Schools program in conjunction with other local school districts.

"We'll have fresh kale, we've got sweet corn, we've got peppers, we've got tomatoes, and we've got herbs and eggplant," she said. "Chef Todd from the Iron Springs Cafe will be donating his services in creating the menu. He also does the Empty Bowls project. It's a four-course menu."

The menu will feature both meat and vegetarian options. Mortimer Family Farms will treat diners to a sweet corn ice cream desert following the meal. Wine from Alcantera Vineyards and beer from Granite Mountain Brewery will also be offered.

"This dinner is really cool because it's a celebration of farming in our area," said Sharla Mortimer, owner of Mortimer Family Farms and co-organizer of the event. "It's (both) a farm dinner and a really fancy, formal event."

The dinner will take place alongside the farm fields on long tables that will accommodate approximately 100 diners.

"People will be able to come out and enjoy the farm on a beautiful evening and have fantastic, farm-fresh food and talk about schools and our kids," Mortimer continued. "It's the first time our farm has done something like this and I'm really excited about it. I think it's going to become an annual event."

Live music by folk and bluegrass musicians Chuck and Cat will add to the festivities, which will also feature two speakers: Green Spirit Farms CEO Milan Kluko and Carm Staker with the local Hungry Kids Project.

For more information and to order tickets in advance, visit www.mortimerfamilyfarms.com.